Carvalho and family adventures

A group pic at last ..

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Nice flag!!

Bye bye for now...

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but stay tuned for our future adventures!!

Cheers

The trip back...

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Well, it is always more exciting going to the unknow, but we had a nice trip back and meet up with Adrian & family back in France for a last camping together in France.

Very nice memories and plans for the next trip already...Bring it on the summer in the UK for a nice trip to the Lakes...

Our little ones...

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Girls Aloud...

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The dudes...

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The Carvalhos (or Ali-Babas)

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We all loved it! The scenery, the adventures, the unknown and the great companions! Great Experience!!

Very succesfull trip for the G4 Challenge Owners club!

The Hartleys

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The Roberts

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The Khans

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Did we like it?

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Last day in Marrakesh..

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We went for another leisure walk in the medina and then after a nice lunch took horse carriages to visit the famous vila Majjorelle with its exquisite gardens, very nice goodbye to its truly unique city!

Next day it was time to say goodbye to Holly who took a flight back home!

Another truck ...

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At our camping site, we saw this 6x6 truck and went to meet the owners, a nice youg couple from Slovenia who were waiting for their friends to start their adventure in Morocco. They came for a chat over the campfire and had some drinks to talk a bit more...They had 2 quads in the truck for their friends, who would reccie some of the terrain in the desert ahead of them and give some guidance. They would also meet with other fellow truckers for the adventure..

Emon and I started to daydream about travelling around the world on these machines, which can go anywhere as much or even further than a 4x4 and still carry a quad, have a nice bed, toilet, etc... without need to set up & down camping every night...Ana and Sally also seemed to like the idea, so think we will start to work on the idea...

The Roberst wanted to start to head back home and left with the Hartleys on Thursday heading to Spain. I was supposed to stop by at the Land Rover Experience in Spain as previosly arranged with Moi, the owner that franchise, so I gave him a call to see if they could spend a night at their very nice facilities on their way back and also got to know the centre. With everything arranged they set off and later told us it was indeed a very nice experience there.

The evening...

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In the evening the market trasnformed itself into a live and buzzing place with many food stalls for you to try the local specialties. in the typical Moroccan style, the vendors chase you to try their food. Emon told us about a bad previous experience he had once sitting down to eat and later getting a steep bill....we then negotiated to pay first and then eat later with one of the stalls and they accepted full of smiles...we wrote down what we order and the price next to us...

The cooks all clapped once we all at down...later we found that they really pitch for all clients... a sales training program live.

The meal was very nice and the kids tried some of the local cuisine with chips on the side, which was great. When we finished they said: You pay as much you like and did not give us a bill, which was very nice and everyone was pleased to pay for the right sum!

After such a nice dinners we got some sweets from the locals as well and head back to the camping!

The shops..

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The more we saw, the more we liked it. There is so many nice and beautifuly crafted work here that finding the right buy or gift becomes a daunting task, but is really worth it. We bought few lanterns and carpets and when we got home we wished we got more...well lets save for future trips !

They work hard

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As you can see this old Series is still in pretty well condition and ready for its towing/ recovery duties at the Market

Snake charmers

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Next day off we go to visit the medina in Marrakesh, with its lively market with food, lanterns, carpets and leather stalls.The city also has seen a lot of development on recent years with lots of condominiums and high end hotels.

Our first stop was at the snake charmers that quickly wrap them around tourists ...not for everyone's taste but Felipe and Alex loved it! After a "kind donation" we headed to the markets again!

On the way to Marrakesh

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The problems with fuel continued and despite having jerry cans, it was difficult to cover great distances particularly on my D3 as the V8 was quite thirsty on the sand parts. The group also wanted to stay a bit longer than a night in Marrakesh so we adjusted the itinerary and headed towards the city of the Snake charmers a day ahead of planning.

The route was very pretty and we crossed the Atlas at another pass with amazing views. We met a family in a DII with problems on the gearbox, which was serviced in Zagoura but still needed further attention. They headed back for another check while I was saving every drop to get to Marrakesh and all fuel stations were empty.

At sunset, Ana said "look I think there are some cars filling up here..." and they were indeed...I managed to fill 83 litres on my tank (86l is the capacity) and then both jerries, as did the rest of the group.

Back on the road we arrived at Marrakesh and went straight to our camping north of the city, which was very nice and clean indeed.

Alex, the kids favourite..

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Alex was always playing with Felipe or the girls, great kid!! Despite being the oldest of the gang, he knows how to play nice and behaved very well all through!!

He deserved his own "Camel Trophy" at the end of the trip for being a top kid!!

Unwelcomed neighbours

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As we stopped to find on our campsite for the night in an apparently nice and flat area with some trees providing a nice shade, we found we were not alone.

Ant nests were all over the place and then Emon and Sally went further out to check there...Sally looked intrigued at one of the holes in the ground and asked is that a snake hole? Only to witness a scorpion emerging from it and crossing intermitently its claws in a very clear statement of attack...

And as Jeremy Clarkson would say ...on that bombshell we all went to the closest hotel for that night...Good night!

Out of the way!!!

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If you have this view on your rear mirror in the middle of the desert, you better move fast!!

What a nice sight, we also did a movie to be added soon and put on YouTube!!

The film crew were spot on, thanks Sally, Holly and Ana!

The new kid on the block

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We met with a German driving his Unimog half way his 6 week trip in Morocco. He joined the convoy for the rest of the day and showed his machine, which if was a bit more Orange would be just perfect for overlanding adventures...a new bug was starting to get into some of us...

On the pic, Emon make his way through another riverbed crossing ...

Off Piste part 4

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After our break we pressed on with more driving , crossed the second river without a problem (dry passage with no issues) and saw some rally cars driving at speed further up.

We caught some dry wood for the campfire and here Emon stopped to retrieve what the dry bushes from Adrian's car.

Dust was everywhere and with the wind it actually chased the car itself,amazing. We did some footage, which I will add later after editing (remove wind noise etc..)

Dave is driving on the pic and you can notice that he has a long smile !!

Quick stop for a mint tea..

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We stopped at this auberge for a tea and posed for a nice team pics.

The kids were everywhere and here we stopped to talk, distribute some sweets and play with them. Felipe and Julia were as much curious as they all.

These kids are lovely and full of life. Further ahead we passed through a village where they were not as friendly though ... funny how different they act from village to village. In one place they ran ahead of the car and gesture as if they would be cleaning the road for you to drive through and then ask for some sweets ...

Off Piste part 3

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Our adventure continued with more riverbed driving and mud at times, all taken with no problems by our distinct Land Rovers

Ali Baba's dominance on the desert

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Family and friends control all the business in the Saharan desert ;-)

What lies behind the smile??

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" Stef, I promise tomorrow we reach the tarmac"

Off-piste part 2

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We then got out of the dunes and crossed a river to find our way back in the right tracks, not far from the border with Algeria. Different terrain required some adjustments to tyre pressure, so a lot of fiddling with the air compressors that day!

The boys' promise to find a campsite by 4:30 was pushed a bit further to 5pm, but as clarified later by Emon, it was important that we found the right track before sunset.

We found a very nice spot protected by the mountains. The family were now very well organised logistically and the camping was set very quickly. The kids prepare the campfire while the grown ups put up tents and prepared the meals.

We found a very peaceful spot, millions of stars (albeit we were all intrigued by the absence of the full moon despite clear skies) and the sensation of solitude we were aiming for! Just perfect!

Next morning Adrian and Alex went uphills for some fossil hunting and after breakie we set-off again!

Off-piste - The fun bit

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With all jerry cans fully loaded we headed west towards Zagora to our 3-day trip "off-piste" where we would do rough camping and experience the kind of solitude only seen in remote areas of the planet . This part of the trip was highly anticipated by some, but not for others as the lack of contact with civilisation was somewhat feared.

The tracks were a mixture of soft and hard sand and we crossed hundreds of dry river beds. Local young men with their mopeds appeared out of nowhere to tell us that we could not cross here of there and tried to guide us through main routes hoping for some money. Two river crossings were the biggest challenges for the day. Soon we reached a steep descent into a riverbed ahead of the first crossing and stopped to assess the situation. After walking around for a bit, we could not find a safe way through the other side, so we went back and drove around in a longer route.

At times we drove through deep sand and the power of the V8 engine came at hand allowing the heavy D3 to speed up and drive not so deep. Having said that the Defenders were also brilliant and the driving put smiles on the faces of all drivers, well almost all...keen to sand driving Mark left dad's Dave on the passenger seat for longer than he expected, however that allowed Dave to entertain us with always funny comments on the CB! With the wind blowing strongly, the dust lifted by the vehicles were not not only behind them, but actually on their sides and fully covered our inside view from the windows creating an awkward sensation.

Ana was a bit aprehensive on the ups & downs of the dunes and I tried to keep it easy, but in one of the ascents the D3 was caught up on its belly. We removed some sand and then I asked Emon for a quick pull, but then his winch stopped probably overheated (sorry Emon - will get you a beer to cool down ;-) . Few more digs and D3 was back on the game to continue the day...

Camel rides & sunset by the dunes...

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With problems to find fuel again we returned later than expected and missed the camel ride tour, but the girls & kids didn't !! Unique experience in this unique place.

We all went for a splash at the quite cold pool to remove all the sand from the Desert, awesome!!

Then early bed as the group would head out to its "o off-piste" experince and wild camping as we head west to Zagora.

On the route of the Dakar...

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The group then split with the girls and kids staying at the hotel to enjoy the swimming pool and relax, while the boys went for a driving loop that included parts of the Rally Paris-Dakar route. Well, as we were all driving at over 180km/h we could not take pics ;-).

With the G4 Challenge no longer taking place and the Paris-Dakar now completed in South America, we had a quite interesting experience there!

We stopped to visit a typical berber tent on the way and helped to treat a nasty blister for a young woman. We had a sign on the cars indicating that the club supports the Red Crescent and Red Cross and it was amazing to see how much the locals rely on this amazing charity for their needs. Top job by them and our club will soon make a donation to the Red Cross.

Playing in the dunes...

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After a buffet dinner with more local specialties, we listened to a berber drums beat and headed to bed exhausted!

The following day we had our own track on the dunes to brush up our driving skills in the sand. I volunteered to go first and took the guide with me. Terrain Response on Sand driving mode, we set off and completed the course without problems. Soon all 4 Land Rovers were on track having a lot fun in the sand and all performed faultlessly!!

The peak conquerors...

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The hard work to climb the dunes was rewarded with amazing views and an even more fun race down!!

A walk in the dunes...

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The kids hit the dunes quickly and soon we were all heading towards the peak of a dune. Brothers Mark and Gareth, alongside Adrian and Holly raced their way up, but it was no one but Dave who conquer the peak first!! At top of the dunes, the view was breathtaking and gave us the first taste for our Saharan experience.

More from Yasmina...

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Camping Yasmina: we call it paradise...

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The place was fantastic! Surrounded by dunes we slept at typical berber tents, but yet with the luxury of toilets and even a swimming pool. To reach the tents we needed to drive a bit on the dunes. Emon led the convoy and after a few attempts we all stopped next to a group of camels (not the sandglow ones though!) to offload our Orange vehicles.

The dunes of Erg Chebbi

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Next day we headed east towards the dunes of Erg Chebbi. The road were generally ok; the local kids lined up on the road asking for sweets, pens, clothes as we passed by. While they were clearly poor, they seemed healthier than in places we seen before like Bolivia or Peru.

The road turned into a "piste" before we reached our destination, the sands tracks were a lot of fun for the drivers, a bit less for the passengers ;-). The navigation by Emon and Adrian was spot on and with the help of paper maps and GPS we arrived at Camping Yasmina without problems.

Tinehir

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In Tinerhir we planned a stop in a nice hotel, but a group of Spanish tourist put away our dreams for a bit of luxury, but we found a nice auberge and had dinner at the fully-booked hotel to try some of the local Tangine food.

Here we also experienced what later became a bigger problem. The oil tankers were on strike and fuel was hard to find in places. While petrol was available here, diesel for the Defenders was found only 4km away from the town.

Mini me

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Felipe was following his father's footsteps to concentrate on his own transition...

Ali Baba reincarnation...

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Well, at least the locals called me that way!! Mind the color of the turbant!!

Heading to the Todras Gorges...

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This pics from Emon illustrated very well the rest of the journey towards the gorges.

We found a place situated in the middle of two valleys for camping and stopped just before the sunset, after granting permission with a man that lived not far. The views were amazing and shortly we were having a nice chat around a campfire. As the men searched for wood fire further up in the mountain, a car stopped by the campsite. They were from the Forestry Police and asked if we were hunting...Later on few kids from the area set a fire next to us to try to get some attention but soon were gone.

Next day we were back on the road with magnificent views of the Atlas mountains and stopped by a green lake name Tsilik for a picnic. Part of the slip road was submersed into the lake water...Adrian and I couldn't resist and went for a bit of dip...very nice!!

Off again into the scenic route we reached Todras Gorges later in the afternoon and Wow!! What a view!! Amazing scenery and great shots of the G4 convoy!! We stopped for a bit of shopping at the stalls on the road side next to our day's destiny in Tinerhir.

Crossing the Atlas...

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Back to the camping, we slept early to rest for the next day's drive towards Todras Gorges, with a plan to camp on the road side as soon as we were out of the main road. We spotted some monkeys and stopped for a quick look, but they quickly disappeared into the woods. Outstanding scenary, few water crossings with the snowed peaks of the Atlas in the background...what else you want?

Shopping...

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Shopping in Morocco is a fine art and if you don't like to negotiate you will for sure pay very high prices here...As a guidance you should aim for final price around 30 to 45% of the ask price and start bidding around 25% without shame. The signs from the global recession could be seen here, with less visitors and traders more keen to cut a deal. The best advice is to set a budget and the key items you want (carpets, lanterns, jewelry, leather goods, gifts) and stick to it. Not that we did that though...At the end, the more you bargain, the more traders you bring a smile!

More pics

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As I refine my abilities with this blog, I will for sure improve posting, but meanwhile here it goes few more pics...

The kids loved the Moroccan carpets!!

Deeper in the medina...

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We visited a number of places, such as a tapestry cooperative (financed by Unesco), the souks (workshop for the craftsmen), a ceramic cooperative, the tanneries (where animal hides turn into soft rot-proof leather) and of course...the shops.

This is a completely alien world to us with people wearing different clothes, talking different languages and following different religions - a cultural shock right on our faces...Amazing!

Into Morocco - Let the adventure begin...

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The border crossing was a mess as anticipated by Emon..Despite being well prepared we waited over 2 hours to cross as there were many cars ahead of us in the queue...

The trip now really started as we headed to our camping site in Fes, the oldest of Morocco's Imperial cities and the country's religious and spiritual capital. After a good sleep in our first camping stop in the trip we went to visit the old town (or medina), where Arabs, Berbers (desert nomads) and Jews live together in harmony.

Our local guide took us for a tour, starting at the royal palace, the residence of king Mohamed VI (pic) , who reigns the country since the death of his father in 1999.

Introducing the troop...

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Introducing the families: Hartley (Adrian, Stephanie, Alex and Melissa), Khan (Emon, Sally, Holly and Maya) Roberts (Dave, Mark and Gareth) - all in G4 Defenders and us (Augusto, Ana, Felipe and Julia) on the undoubtedly best G4 D3 in the world. The Tangier orange convoy attracted attention all over the route.

Finally some news...

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Well, I think our assumptions for internet connection were a bit too optimistic for Moroccos, so apologies for no live feed into the blog...

As we head back home through Europe I will take the opportunity to write briefly about the incredible trip we are having...

The 4 families gathered at our house on Friday 3 April and we departed early to pick the Eurotunnel at 5:20, but a 15 mins delay in departure time resulted in a 2h delay on the train and with a hotel booked at the border of France and Spain we had a long distance to cover...Spain was also driven in a day and we arrived at a nice hotel near Granada where we had a great Tapas dinner before doing the last stretch the following day to catch the ferry in Algeciras towards Ceuta. The fast pace had a toll on the Robert's Defender, with some oil leakeage. After some inspection and top up we slowed a bit the pace and everything went perfectly fine again.

Getting into it...

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Ok, so here we are preparing the blog ahead of our trip to Morocco in a weeks time!

This is no "Long Way Round" by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, but taking our two young kids, Felipe and Julia, makes the challenge a bit more even ;-)
We and three other families will travel in G4 Challenge vehicles from London to Morocco, driving through France and Spain before reaching Africa.
We are 85% ready at the moment, with clothes, food and camping gear packed. Now will go through the checklist to make sure there is nothing left behind, well there is always something...